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The first headphones were used way back in 1881 and only by telephone operators. They were a bulky single piece device that way over 10 pounds. That's over 4.5 kilograms!
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The Electrophone system brought us the next instalment of the headphone. This version looked more like a stethoscope and was used to listen to the masterpieces of the local operas.
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1910 saw inventor Nathaniel Baldwin create the first modern version of the headphone. They were very successful and were used by the U.S Navy for a period of time. Fun fact, Baldwin never patented the invention!
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IN the year 1937 the German company Beyerdynamic produced the first dynamic headphone. A dynamic headphone is the style of headphone that sits like two miniature speakers over your ears. Fun fact 'DT' stands for Dynamic Telephone.
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The K120's another brand of dynamic telephones were released. Their producer AKG had so much success with this model they quit the film equipment business and focused on just audio
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Beyerdynamic's production returns in 1953 after being cut off during the war. They were back in business with the DT 49.
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The first stereo headphones designed predominantly for listeners enjoy stereo LP's at home were released in 1958.
They were invented by John C. Koss, a Milwaukee jazz musician and change the headphone game forever, setting up a very dominant period for Koss -
The SR-1's were first debuted at a show in Tokyo and put in to production not long after. This first electrostatic pair of headphones are now very sought after collectors items
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These electrostatic headphones, designed by Koss were the first of its kind in America. They weighed approximately 2 pounds which was far less than the average 3-5 pounds in the decades prior.
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Probably the most important innovation in headphone development was the Walkman by Sony. This was another game changer allowing headphones to now be portable and lighter.
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Koss failed to adapt in the portable era of the 1980's which meant the HV line of Koss' lightweight headphones would be the last significant advancement seen from the company.
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In 1980 the design of headphones underwent a huge transformation with the beginning of in ear and earbud headphones. They were light, cheap and rather popular
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In an effort to stay relevant and continue the Walkman success Sony created the neckband headphones.
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Even though pilots had been using noise-cancelling technology for decades, BOSE finally made it available for consumers. The QuietComfort line was designed to allow passengers on plane to get some relief and rest on flights.
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In 2001 Apple made headphones cool again. Thanks to the release of the iPod the accompanying white headphones have become a household staple.
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In 2008 Dr. Dre took the headphone world by storm and created the Beats by Dre headphones. Celebrity endorsement from nearly every NBA (professional basketball) player saw popularity soar also bringing back the trend and relevance of can headphones.
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Since the late 2000's there has been no real change in the technological advancements of headphones, rather just how they are marketed towards consumers
